Halma beefs up FY pre-tax profit
21st Jun 2011 07:20
Engineering conglomerate Halma reported a robust set of full year figures and said it will continue to focus on potential acquisitions. The acquisitive engineer said pre-tax profit from continuing operations rose to £104.6m in the year ended 2 April 2011 from £86.2m in 2010. Revenue for the period
Read moreLondon close: Shares fall back as oil rallies
9th Mar 2011 16:53
A drop in the oil price failed to gain ground as the Libya violence continued, sending shares firmly into the red. Attacks against rebel-held towns in western Libya continued, helping oil prices to win back some recent losses. Traders are worried that violence could erupt in other oil-producing Ar
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Restaurant Group rises on profit growth
9th Mar 2011 15:36
The Restaurant Group saw shares jump after the performance at its Garfunkel's outlets helped profits grow by 17% in 2010. Also wanted is acquisitive engineering conglomerate Halma which has its cheque book out again, buying Swiss company Medicel for around £46.6m. Heading the other way is speciali
Read moreLondon afternoon: Downward drift continues
9th Mar 2011 14:16
Blue-chip shares drifted lower still over the lunchtime session though a number of bright spots can be found, particularly among second liners. Insurer Prudential is in demand after saying it made 20% more in 2010 than it did the year before as Asia raced ahead of the US as the UK company's bigges
Read moreLondon midday: FTSE 100 seeking direction
9th Mar 2011 12:02
Shares are moving in both directions after updates, but the FTSE 100 sits a few points lower. Insurer Prudential is in demand after saying it made 20% more in 2010 than it did the year before as Asia raced ahead of the US as the UK company's biggest earner. Group operating profit before tax on a Eu
Read moreLondon open: Early falls despite Pru show of strength
9th Mar 2011 08:43
London has slipped lower in early dealings, despite good numbers from Prudential and a strong performance on Wall Street overnight as oil prices fell back. Insurer Prudential made 20% more in 2010 than it did the year before as Asia raced ahead of the US as the UK company's biggest earner. Group o
Read moreLondon pre-open: Waiting on the Pru
9th Mar 2011 07:38
The blue-chip index is expected to open barely changed, though things may change when insurance giant Prudential releases results later this morning. Africa-focused oil company Tullow Oil ramped up profits in 2010, broadly in line with City expectations, as oil prices jumped by almost a third. Prof
Read moreHalma buys cataract surgery device maker
9th Mar 2011 07:02
Acquisitive engineering conglomerate Halma has its cheque book out again, and is buying Swiss company Medicel, a designer and manufacturer of single-use injector devices for Intra Ocular Lenses (IOL) used for cataract surgery. Halma is initially paying SFr.70.0m (£46.6m) for Medicel and its subsidi
Read moreHalma buys Wagtech's water unit
2nd Mar 2011 12:02
Sensor technology firm Halma has paid £3m in cash for the water technology division of Wagtech International. The UK firm will merge the earnings enhancing acquisition with its Gateshead-based water analysis business Palintest. "Wagtech water technology division's range of water and environmental
Read moreLondon close: Blue chips close flat
17th Feb 2011 16:51
Footsie closed the day a shade higher having traded in a very narrow range all day as both buyers and sellers seem preoccupied with other things. Life insurance consolidator Resolution closed as top performer saying it is unlikely to make any further acquisitions this year. Instead, it will focus
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie stumbles after US CPI data
17th Feb 2011 14:43
Footsie fell back over the lunchtime session with sentiment taking a knock from a bigger than expected increase in US consumer prices. The US Consumer Price Index rose 0.4% in January, as it did in December, on the back of higher fuel and food prices. Economists had pencilled in a 0.3% rise. On th
Read moreLondon midday: Shares little changed
17th Feb 2011 12:07
Banks are setting the pace today, while other stocks are moving in both directions after updates. The FTSE 100 is flat overall. Nomura says Lloyds Banking Group is the preferred name of the UK lenders, and has the best exposure to recovery of traditional banking, without the overhang of a capital m
Read moreLondon open: Shares edge higher
17th Feb 2011 08:40
The FTSE 100 has moved higher in early dealings, with miners helping to offset weakness on the back of company updates. African Barrick Gold, which yesterday announced strong sales figures for the full year, is leading the mining sector - and the FTSE 100 - higher. However, elsewhere in the FTSE
Read moreEmerging markets drive Halma growth
17th Feb 2011 08:11
Things are ticking along as expected at sensor technology firm Halma in the second half of its financial year. Revenue in the first six months of the year was 12% ahead of 2009/10 and this trend has continued into the first four months of the second-half of the financial year. The relative perfor
Read moreHalma buys medical device components firm
17th Dec 2010 13:41
Safety, health and sensor technology supplier Halma is buying Accudynamics Inc for an initial $24m (£15.2m). This deal is immediately earnings enhancing and boosts Halma's presence in the medical and scientific markets. Massachusetts-based Accudynamics manufactures pumps, fluid handling componen
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